All Bios

Gerald DeFrancisco, Director –

Gerald M. (Jerry) DeFrancisco is President of Humanitarian Services for the American National Red Cross. Mr. DeFrancisco provides executive-level leadership and management oversight of operations for 2000 local Red Cross locations across the country; Services to Armed Forces; International Services; Preparedness, Health & Safety Services; and the Hurricane Recovery Program. He has over 35 years experience in the telecommunications and management consulting industries, attaining senior leadership positions in a wide variety of assignments in all phases of general management, including corporate strategy, operations, customer service delivery, and sales and marketing. Prior to joining the Red Cross, he was President of Beacon Professional Group and Ultrapro International, global consulting firms specializing in strategy, operations sustainability, and performance improvement. Prior to this, he was a senior executive at AT&T, serving as Executive VP Broadband and Internet Services; VP Business Innovation; and President and CEO of AT&T Alascom, a $350 million AT&T affiliate. A U.S. Army veteran, Mr. DeFrancisco has served on various non-profit boards and has been a speaker and panelist in numerous industry conferences and forums.

Terrance W. Gainer, Director –

Terrance W. Gainer was sworn in as the 38th United States Senate Sergeant at Arms on January 4, 2007, continuing his distinguished career, leading innovation in security and law enforcement worldwide. Mr. Gainer spent many years in public safety leadership before being unanimously elected by Senators in the 110th Congress. As chief law enforcement and executive officer of the Senate, the Sergeant at Arms enforces rules of the Senate, provides services to Senators in their Washington D.C. and state offices and maintains security in the Capitol and Senate office buildings. He led a force of nearly 1,000 personnel. Mr. Gainer was appointed Commissioner on the Independent Commission on the Security Forces of Iraq. This Commission was comprised of individuals with credentials and expertise in military and law enforcement matters. The 20-member group was charged with conducting an independent assessment of the Iraqi Security Forces and reported its findings to Congress in the fall of 2007. In 2008, Mr. Gainer served with the Special Envoy for Middle East Regional Security, which was created to advance the resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian dispute by assisting in strengthening security institutions. The Envoy fosters Israeli-Palestinian cooperation, engaging other key countries in enhancing regional security, and designing a plan for security issues between the government of Israel and the Palestinian Authority should there be a two-state solution. Mr. Gainer began his law enforcement career as a police officer in Chicago in 1968, and rose through the ranks as a homicide detective, sergeant and executive assistant in the Administrative Services Bureau. An accomplished attorney who was admitted in Illinois, Federal District Court and U.S. Supreme Court, he served as the chief legal officer of the Chicago Police Department from 1981 through 1984. In this capacity, he assisted in negotiating the city’s first labor contract with the police union. Mr. Gainer entered the Illinois state government in 1987, serving as Deputy Inspector General. He next served as Deputy Director of the Illinois State Police before moving to the U.S. Department of Transportation as Special Assistant to the Secretary and Director for Drug Enforcement and Compliance. In March 1991, Governor Jim Edgar appointed Mr. Gainer Director of the Illinois State Police. In May 1998, Mr. Gainer moved to Washington D.C. to become Executive Assistant Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department, where he served as second-in-command of the 4,200-member department. In 2002, Mr. Gainer was sworn in as Chief of the United States Capitol Police, where he commanded a force of nearly 2,000 sworn and civilian personnel who provide comprehensive law enforcement, security, and protective operations services for the United States Congress, its staff, and more than 11 million annual visitors. After leaving the USCP, Mr. Gainer entered the private sector as the Chief Executive Officer and President of Blue Falcon Solutions, LLC, focusing on law enforcement and emergency preparedness issues for The Nonprofit Roundtable of Greater Washington and in the British West Indies. In 2006, Mr. Gainer was named Vice President and Program Manager, Law Enforcement Programs, International Group for MPRI an L-3 communications company. In that capacity, Mr. Gainer was responsible for a multi-million dollar innovative law enforcement program supporting Army and Marine operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. Mr. Gainer was born in Chicago and received his Bachelor’s degree in Sociology from St. Benedict’s College in Atchison, Kansas. His Master of Science in Management of Public Service and Juris Doctor Degrees were awarded by DePaul University of Chicago. In May 2009, Mr. Gainer received an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from Benedictine College in Atchison, Kansas. A graduate of the FBI National Executive Institute, Mr. Gainer was an Adjunct Professor at the University of Illinois Chicago and Springfield campuses. He is a decorated veteran who served as an advisor in Viet Nam and retired as a Captain in the United States Naval Reserve in 2000, having served in a variety of command and staff positions as a Surface Warfare Officer. He is married to Irene Gainer, a nurse and attorney, serving as the Hearing Office Director of the Office of Medicare Hearings and Appeals at the Department of Health and Human Services. Both Irene and Terry are Eucharistic Ministers at their parish church in DC, Old St. Patrick’s. They have six children and 14 grandchildren.

Christopher P. Holstege, Director –

Christopher P. Holstege, M.D. is a University of Virginia Professor of Emergency Medicine and Pediatrics within the School of Medicine, Chief of the Division of Medical Toxicology, and Executive Director of the Elson Student Health Center. He is also chair of the steering committee of the University of Virginia’s Critical Incident Analysis Group. Dr. Holstege clinically provides care for poisoned patients and serves as a practicing member of the emergency medicine faculty. He has been integrally involved in the diagnosis and management of a number of high-profile criminal poisonings. He has numerous ongoing research projects in clinical, basic science and epidemiologic arenas. Dr. Holstege has over 100 publications in medical journals, periodicals, and books. He has edited or authored 10 books and is the lead editor of the book entitled Criminal Poisoning – Clinical and Forensic Perspectives. He is a Diplomate of both the American Board of Emergency Medicine and the American Board of Medical Toxicology.

Jerry H. Jones, Vice President –

Jerry H. Jones began his White House career during the Nixon administration and remained on staff for the entire Ford presidency. He held several positions in the White House Personnel Office from 1971-74, and in April 1974 was appointed Staff Secretary. He continued as Staff Secretary in the Ford administration until June 1975 when he was appointed Director of the Scheduling and Advance Office. The Staff Secretary and Scheduling and Advance Offices were both supervised by the Assistant to the President for White House Operations. A graduate of Harvard College, he attained his MBA at Harvard and has served as President of Jones Simonds, Inc., Symcon, Inc., Alta Acquisition Corporation and most recently Cantabs, Inc. Mr. Jones has served as a consultant to the Secretary of Defense. Mr. Jones is a member of the University of Virginia ’s Critical Incident Analysis Group (CIAG), with a special focus on issues related to bioterrorism and defense.

Christopher A. Kidd, Director –

Chris Kidd is the Managing Director of Savoy Partners, a boutique executive search firm focused on strategic leadership in the advanced technology sector, and he is the Managing Director of Chestnut Hill Partners, a New York private equity firm. Prior to his corporate experience, he served as a platoon leader, squad leader and fire team specialist in the United States Marine Corps. Chris graduated from the United States Naval Academy; his wife is Kimberley Smith Kidd, who is a Personal Success and AD/HD Coach. Chris and Kim live in Alexandria, Virginia and have four children and two grandchildren.

Edwin Meese, III, Secretary –

Edwin Meese III holds the Ronald Reagan Chair in Public Policy at The Heritage Foundation, a Washington-based public policy research and education institution. He is also the Chairman of Heritage’s Center for Legal and Judicial Studies. Additionally, he is a Distinguished Visiting Fellow at the Hoover Institution, Stanford University, California, and a Distinguished Senior Fellow at The University of London’s Institute of United States Studies. Mr. Meese also lectures, writes, and consults throughout the United States on a variety of subjects. Mr. Meese is the author of With Reagan: The Inside Story, which was published by Regnery Gateway in June 1992, and is co-editor of Making America Safer, published in 1997 by The Heritage Foundation. He also co-authored Leadership, Ethics, and Policing, published by Prentice Hall in 2004. Mr. Meese served as the 75th Attorney General of the United States from February 1985 to August 1988. As the Nation’s Chief Law Enforcement Officer, he directed the Department of Justice and led international efforts to combat terrorism, drug trafficking and organized crime. In 1985 he received the Government Executive magazine’s annual award for excellence in management. From January 1981 to February 1985, Mr. Meese held the position of Counselor to the President, the senior position on the White House Staff, where he functioned as the President’s Chief Policy Advisor. As Attorney General and as Counselor, Mr. Meese was a member of the President’s Cabinet and the National Security Council. He served as Chairman of the Domestic Policy Council and of the National Drug Policy Board. Mr. Meese headed the President-elect’s transition effort following the November 1980 election. During the presidential campaign, he served as Chief of Staff and Senior Issues Advisor for the Reagan-Bush Committee. From 1977 to 1981, Mr. Meese was a professor of Law at the University of San Diego, where he also was Director of the Center for Criminal Justice Policy and Management. Formerly, Mr. Meese served as Governor Reagan’s Executive Assistant and Chief of Staff in California from 1969 through 1974 and as Legal Affairs Secretary from 1967 through 1968. Before joining Governor Reagan’s staff in 1967, Mr. Meese served as Deputy District Attorney in Alameda County, California. In addition to his background as a lawyer, educator and public official, Mr. Meese has been a business executive in the aerospace and transportation industry, serving as Vice President for Administration of Rohr Industries, Inc. in Chula Vista, California. He left Rohr to return to the practice of law, engaging in corporate and general legal work in San Diego County. Mr. Meese is a graduate of Yale University, Class of 1953, and holds a law degree from the University of California at Berkeley. He is a retired Colonel in the United States Army Reserve. He is active in numerous civic and educational organizations and recently completed six years as Chairman of the governing board of George Mason University in Northern Virginia. Mr. Meese is married, has two grown children and resides in McLean, Virginia.

Charles S. Robb, Director –

Charles S. Robb joined the faculty of George Mason University as a Distinguished Professor of Law and Public Policy in 2001. Previously he served as Lt. Governor of Virginia, from 1978 to 1982, as Virginia’s 64th Governor, from 1982 to 1986, and as a United States Senator, from 1989 to 2001. While in the Senate he became the first member ever to serve simultaneously on all three national security committees (Intelligence, Armed Services, and Foreign Relations). He also served on the Finance, Commerce, and Budget Committees. Before becoming a member of Congress he Chaired: the Southern Governors’ Association, the Democratic Governors’ Association, the Education Commission of the States, the Democratic Leadership Council, Jobs for America’s Graduates, the National Conference of Lieutenant Governors and the Virginia Forum on Education – and was President of the Council of State Governments. During the 1960’s he served on active duty with the United States Marine Corps, retiring from the Marine Corps Reserve in 1991. He began as the Class Honor Graduate from Marine Officers Basic School in 1961 and ended up as head of the principal recruiting program for Marine officers in 1970. In between, he served in both the 1st and 2nd Marine Divisions and his assignments included duty as a Military Social Aide at the White House and command of an infantry company in combat in Vietnam. He received his law degree from the University of Virginia in 1973, clerked for Judge John D. Butzner, Jr. on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, and practiced law with Williams and Connolly prior to his election to state office. Between his state and federal service he was a partner at Hunton and Williams. Since leaving the Senate in 2001 he has served as: Chairman of the Board of Visitors at the United States Naval Academy, Co-Chairman (with Sr. Judge Laurence Silberman of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit) of the President’s Commission on Intelligence Capabilities of the United States Regarding Weapons of Mass Destruction and Co-Chairman (with Former Gov. Linwood Holton) of a major landowner’s alliance that created a special tax district to finance the extension of Metrorail to Tyson’s Corner and Dulles Airport. He has also been a member of the Iraq Study Group and a Fellow at the Institute of Politics at Harvard and at the Marshall Wythe School of Law at William & Mary. He is currently a member of: the President’s Foreign Intelligence Advisory Board, the Secretary of State’s International Security Advisory Bd. (Chm: WMD-Terrorism Task Force), the FBI Director’s Advisory Board, the Critical Incident Analysis Group, the Afghanistan Study Group and the MITRE Corp. Board of Trustees (Vice Chm.). He also serves on the Boards of: the Space Foundation, the Thomas Jefferson Program in Public Policy, the Concord Coalition, the American War Museum, Strategic Partnerships LLC and the Center for the Study of the Presidency – and works on occasional projects with the Center for Strategic and Int’l Studies. He is married to Lynda Johnson Robb and they have three grown daughters and two granddaughters.

Gregory B. Saathoff, President and Treasurer –

Gregory Saathoff, M.D., is the Executive Director of the Critical Incident Analysis Group, and holds a joint appointment as Associate Professor of Research in the Departments of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioral Science and the Department of Emergency Medicine at the University of Virginia School of Medicine. Educated at the University of Notre Dame, University of Missouri and University of Virginia, Dr. Saathoff has served in the Army Reserve Medical Corps and was deployed during the first Gulf War, earning the Army Commendation Medal in 1991. Since 1996, he has served as Conflict Resolution Specialist for the FBI’s Critical Incident Response Group and its Research Advisory Board. In that role, he consults with their Behavioral Analysis Unit and the Crisis Negotiation Unit. He has testified before the U.S. Senate Homeland Security Committee, the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights and has provided expert testimony in Federal court involving treason and terrorism. His research interests include public response to WMDs. Books include the Crisis Guide to Psychotropic Drugs and Poisons, and co-editorship of Criminal Poisoning: Clinical and Forensic Perspectives.

James F. Yacone, Director –

James F. Yacone serves as the Assistant Director for the Federal Bureau of Investigation. In this role, he oversees global critical incident response personnel and resources for crisis management, tactical operations, crisis negotiations, hostage rescue, WMD and improvised explosive device mitigation, intelligence, surveillance, and aviation, behavioral and cyber threat assessments, active shooter response, and special events management. Mr. Yacone joined the FBI in 1995 as a Special Agent. He was first assigned to the Philadelphia Division, where he investigated violent drug trafficking organizations, organized crime, and finical institution fraud. He was later selected to serve with the Critical Incident Response Group as a member of the Hostage Rescue Team. During his tenure there, Mr. Yacone was promoted to Supervisory Special Agent and later Unit Chief, where he was deployed to multiple critical incidents and major investigations around the world in support of the global fight against terrorism

In 2006, Mr. Yacone was appointed Chief of the FBI’s Aviation and Surveillance Branch. In this position he implemented a strategic aircraft replacement plan to upgrade and standardize the FBI’s diverse fleet of airplanes and helicopters and focused on enhancing the FBI’s ground surveillance cadre. Mr. Yacone was later selected by Director Mueller to lead a strategic merger to consolidate a large number of personnel and assets into a unified Surveillance and Aviation Section. He was appointed to serve as the Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Colorado a d Wyoming. Concurrent with his responsibilities as SAC, Mr. Yacone was appointed by the Director of National Intelligence to be the Domestic DNI Representative, which involved coordinating the efforts of the U.S intelligence community for a nine-state region

Mr. Yacone graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point with a Bachelor of Science in mechanical engineering and has a Master of Science in criminal justice from Virginia Commonwealth University. He served eight years in the U.S Army and is a decorated combat veteran with the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment. His highest military awards include the Silver Star, Bronze Star, and multiple Air Medals with Valor Device, the Humanitarian Service Award and the Purple Heart.